Grade 10Thermal Physics

Explain why the temperature of a gas drops in an adiabatic expansion.

Hrishant Goswami

11 Years agoGrade 10

3 Answers

Jitender Pal

11 Years ago

Adiabatic process is the process in which change in pressure and volume and temperature takes place without any heat entering or leaving the system is called adiabatic change. So the total heat of the system, undergoing an adiabatic change always remains constant. In an adiabatic expansion since no heat is supplied from outside, therefore the energy required for the expansion of the gas is taken from the gas itself. This signifies that, the internal energy of an ideal gas undergoing in an adiabatic expansion decreases, and because the internal energy of an ideal gas depends only on the temperature, therefore its temperature must decreases. That is why the temperature of a gas drops in an adiabatic expansion.

Harveen khehra

6 Years ago

According to the definition of adiabatic process heat remains conserved . To do some work energy is needed .As the system is insulated from both heat reservoirs work is done on the cost of internal energy. some part of internal energy is used up in doing work of expansion. Therefore,internal energy decreases. As we know internal energy is only function of temperature.with decrease in internal energy , temperature also decreases.Hence we can say that in adiabatic expansion temp decreases.

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